'Chelsea is the one that is growing' - Romeo Lavia explains decision to snub Liverpool in favour of Blues transfer as he reveals injury recovery advice from 'big brother' Eden Hazard

Lavia found himself at the centre of one of the most talked-about transfer sagas when he chose to sign with Chelsea, turning down an offer from fellow Premier League rivals Liverpool. The story was even more remarkable given that Chelsea had already beaten the Reds to the signing of Moises Caicedo in a British record transfer earlier in the same window.

In a recent interview with The Athletic, Lavia opened up about his decision, shedding light on the thought process that led him to Stamford Bridge. “You’ve never had my version,” Lavia began, addressing the media frenzy surrounding his transfer.

"It’s all about what you read in the media. I had to read a couple as well and sometimes you knew more than me, apparently. Listen, when I heard about Chelsea and it was from a long time ago before everything started, it was a no-brainer. Some stuff I was reading, I’m not going to say it was fake but my decision was Chelsea. The interest from Liverpool was there but, in my head, I wanted to play for Chelsea.”

Lavia's decision wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment choice either. Chelsea had shown interest in him as early as September 2022 and reportedly bid around £50 million ($64m) for the midfielder. This was despite Lavia being just 18 years old at the time and having recently signed for Southampton from Manchester City for a significantly lower fee.

Reflecting on his choice, Lavia emphasised the long-term potential he saw in Chelsea. “If you look at the teams, Chelsea is the one that is growing,” he said. “Even though the results are not going like the other teams, you can see the bigger picture. When I saw a group of young and talented players that at their previous clubs had been the best players, it could only go well. Now I’m here, I realise it’s true.

"We are building something amazing. Everyone at the club can feel it, not just the players. Manchester City and all the teams that have been successful, they needed years to do that. I’m not saying we need the same years but it is not going to take two weeks. The confidence is there and then it’s about not looking at the other teams, but focusing on ourselves.”

Despite the high hopes and excitement surrounding his move to Chelsea, Lavia’s start at the club has been marred by injuries. After making a £53m ($68m) move from Southampton, Lavia managed to play just one match for the Blues before suffering a thigh injury in the same fixture against Crystal Palace. This injury sidelined him for a considerable period, adding to the frustration of a delayed debut that was already pushed to December due to muscle and ankle injuries. Unfortunately, a fresh setback during his recovery from the thigh injury ended his participation in the 2023-24 season prematurely.

During this challenging time, Lavia leaned on the advice of his compatriot and former Chelsea star, Eden Hazard. The two have a close relationship, and Lavia even referred to Hazard as “the big boss” in a social media announcement video. “He’s a great guy, like a big brother,” Lavia said of Hazard. “Whenever I need advice, I go to him.” This support was crucial, especially when Lavia was dealing with the emotional toll of his injury. Hazard, who has had his own battles with injuries throughout his career, was able to offer invaluable guidance. “It’s the same for a lot of experienced players I speak to, asking them if they have been in the same situation and how they have dealt with it,” Lavia shared.

Lavia has successfully put his injury troubles in the past and is looking forward to proving his mettle against Manchester City on Sunday. He showed his potential in the pre-season friendlies, starting in every fixture in the United States and his goal is now to stay fit for the entire campaign.

"The dream, it is to not miss any games. That’s it," he said.

"Last season was frustrating because it was hard. You’re young and you want to play. You’re getting to know your body as well, which is sometimes unfair because you feel like you’re doing everything right to get back but then nature sometimes decides in a different way. It was just about understanding that and growing as a person. It was frustrating but it was more in the head, and now it has helped me. Injuries can happen. I’d say that it was unlucky and I tried to catch up every time. My body let me down a couple of times because I felt like I was doing everything right. I wouldn’t blame anything.”